EXPERIMENT NO.

Simple Network Management Protocol

Aim: Simple Network Management Protocol

Theory:

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is an applicationlayer protocol

defined by the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) in RFC1157 for exchanging management
information between network devices. It is a part of Transmission Control ProtocolInternet
Protocol (TCPIP) protocol suite.

SNMP is one of the widely accepted protocols to manage and monitor network elements.
Most of the professionalgrade network elements come with bundled SNMP agent. These
agents have to be enabled and configured to communicate with the network management
system (NMS).

SNMP basic components and their functionalities

SNMP Manager:

A manager or management system is a separate entity that is responsible to communicate

with the SNMP agent implemented network devices. This is typically a computer that is used
to run one or more network management systems.

SNMP Managers key functions

Queries agents
Gets responses from agents
Sets variables in agents
Acknowledges asynchronous events from agents

Managed Devices:

A managed device or the network element is a part of the network that requires some form of
monitoring and management e.g. routers, switches, servers, workstations, printers, UPSs,
etc...
 SNMP Agent:

The agent is a program that is packaged within the network element. Enabling the agent
allows it to collect the management information database from the device locally and makes
it available to the SNMP manager, when it is queried for. These agents could be standard
(e.g. Net-SNMP) or specific to a vendor (e.g. HP insight agent)

SNMP agents key functions

Collects management information about its local environment

Stores and retrieves management information as defined in the MIB.
Signals an event to the manager.
Acts as a proxy for some nonSNMP manageable network node.

Management Information database or Management Information Base (MIB)

Every SNMP agent maintains an information database describing the managed device
parameters. The SNMP manager uses this database to request the agent for specific
information and further translates the information as needed for the Network Management
System (NMS). This commonly shared database between the Agent and the Manager is
called Management Information Base (MIB).

Typically these MIB contains standard set of statistical and control values defined for
hardware nodes on a network. SNMP also allows the extension of these standard values with
values specific to a particular agent through the use of private MIBs.

In short, MIB files are the set of questions that a SNMP Manager can ask the agent. Agent
collects these data locally and stores it, as defined in the MIB. So, the SNMP Manager should
be aware of these standard and private questions for every type of agent.

Basic commands of SNMP:-

The simplicity in information exchange has made the SNMP as widely accepted protocol.
The main reason being concise set of commands, here are they listed below:

GET: The GET operation is a request sent by the manager to the managed device. It is
performed to retrieve one or more values from the managed device.
 GET NEXT: This operation is similar to the GET. The significant difference is that the GET
NEXT operation retrieves the value of the next OID in the MIB tree.
GET BULK: The GETBULK operation is used to retrieve voluminous data from large MIB
table.
SET: This operation is used by the managers to modify or assign the value of the Managed
device.
TRAPS: Unlike the above commands which are initiated from the SNMP Manager, TRAPS
are initiated by the Agents. It is a signal to the SNMP Manager by the Agent on the
occurrence of an event.
INFORM: This command is similar to the TRAP initiated by the Agent, additionally
INFORM includes confirmation from the SNMP manager on receiving the message.
RESPONSE: It is the command used to carry back the value(s) or signal of actions directed
by the SNMP Manager.

Typical SNMP communication:-

Being the part of TCP IP protocol suite, the SNMP messages are wrapped as User Datagram
Protocol (UDP) and intern wrapped and transmitted in the Internet Protocol. The following
diagram will illustrate the fourlayer model developed by Department of Defense (DoD).

SNMP versions:-

Since the inception SNMP, has gone through significant upgrades. However SNMP v1 and
v2c are the most implemented versions of SNMP. Support to SNMP v3 has recently started
catching up as it is more secured when compare to its older versions, but still it has not
reached considerable market share.

SNMPv1:

This is the first version of the protocol, which is defined in RFCs 1155 and 1157
SNMPv2c:

This is the revised protocol, which includes enhancements of SNMPv1 in the areas of
protocol packet types, transport mappings, MIB structure elements but using the existing
SNMPv1 administration structure ("community based" and hence SNMPv2c). It is defined in
RFC 1901, RFC 1905, RFC 1906, RFC 2578.

SNMPv3:

SNMPv3 defines the secure version of the SNMP. SNMPv3 also facilitates remote
configuration of the SNMP entities. It is defined by RFC 1905, RFC 1906, RFC 3411, RFC
3412, RFC 3414, RFC 3415.

Though each version had matured towards rich functionalities, additional emphasis was given
to the security aspect on each upgrade. Here is a small clip on each editions security aspect.

SNMP v1 Communitybased security

SNMP v2c Communitybased security

SNMP v2u Userbased security

SNMP v2 Partybased security

SNMP v3 Userbased security

Conclusion: ______________________________________